Zigmars Liepià Âà ¡ (born 14 October 1952 in LiepÃÂja, Latvian SSR, USSR (now: Latvia) is a Latvian composer, keyboard player and the chairman of the board for the Latvian National Opera. Liepià Âà ¡ has written songs for choirs, solo artists, orchestras, films, theatres, and operas.
Zigmars Liepià Âà ¡ was born in a family of musicians in LiepÃÂja on 14 October 1952. His father JÃÂnis Liepià Âà ¡ was a violinist and the first person in LiepÃÂja to learn how to play an electric guitar, he also had an important role in the foundation of LiepÃÂja rock. His mother Lidija had a diploma is singing. The first opera Liepià Âs saw was Pyotr Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades in LiepÃÂja Theatre in early childhood.
In 1971 he graduated from LiepÃÂja Music Secondary School (now LiepÃÂja Music, Art and Design Secondary School) and from Latvian State Conservatoire in 1976 (now â JÃÂzeps Vëtols Latvian Academy of Music).
At the age of seventeen, he started composing and joined LiepÃÂja band Santa which he left a year later. In 1970 band Santa took part in the festival LiepÃÂjas Dzintars where Liepià Âà ¡ received an award for the best folk song arrangement.
Liepià Âà ¡ was a keyboard player and songwriter for band Modoà(1973 â 1976 and 1977âÂÂ1982),àand also their manager (1978âÂÂ1982). While in the Soviet Army (1976âÂÂ1978) Liepià Âà ¡ was in band Zvaigznëte. Upon returning from the army, Liepià Âà ¡ re-joined Modo. àIn 1982 Modo changed their name to Opus and under Liepià Âà ¡' management existed until 1989.
In the 1980s, Liepià Âà ¡ became popular with numerous hits of the time (VÃÂl ir laiks, Viss kÃÂrtëbÃÂ, Ceüojums, Dziesma par rozëti, Sentiments). In 1983 Liepià Âà ¡ wrote the soundtrack for the film Vajadzëga soliste (Soloist Needed) where he also played himself. It was his debut in cinema music.
1989âÂÂ1992 Liepià Âà ¡ was the director of Showimpex, a concert agency, 1991âÂÂ1995 â the director of a recording company L&M. 1992âÂÂ2007 Liepià Âà ¡ was the president and shareholder of Radio SWH. Since 2013 he has been the chairman of the board for the Latvian National Opera.
Liepià Âà ¡ has two children with a Latvian singer, producer, film director and entrepreneur Mirdza Zëvere â Zane Kursëte and JÃÂnis Liepià Âà ¡. Liepins' son JÃÂnis Liepià Âà ¡ is a conductor in the Latvian National Opera.
In 1997 Liepià Âà ¡ received the Latvian Music Award for the opera Parëzes DievmÃÂtes katedrÃÂle (Notre-Dame de Paris).
In 2002 Liepià Âà ¡ was awarded the Order of the Three Stars (Triju Zvaigà ¾à Âu ordenis).